Information Related to the Rezoning of
Lessard Shopping Centre

Unit 109, 6104-172 St. T6M 1G9

Residents of the Gariepy neighbourhood are extremely concerned about the possible implications of turning the Lessard Shopping Centre into an Islamic Center. They are especially concerned with the plan to rezone the site to allow for a private K-9 school, which should accommodate about 150 students. The combination of a Mosque, a private school, and an Islamic Centre organizing social/cultural, functions and events is likely to attract large number of people from all over the city. Opposition to this project is based on the location and size of the site, the likely increase in traffic and noise, lack of sufficient parking and appropriate playing fields for students.

MAC Islamic Centre

The Muslim Association of Canada is planning to create an Islamic Centre that will serve the whole city of Edmonton and will include the following activities: ( http://maccentre.ca/)

1) A Mosque

2) A variety of social and educational services

3) A full-time K-9 school

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1) The Mosque:

The Mosque is offering full religious services to the Muslim community and is expected to serve the whole City of Edmonton. According to MAC’s data, the prayer area (10,500 sq. ft.) could serve 1300 worshippers. An extended praying area (18,5000 sq. ft.) could serve 2300 worshippers. Daily prayers will be offered at the Mosque 5 times a day

The project will provide a variety of social and educational services:

Preschool and Childcare CentreThe proposed childcare services will run all year round and will include professional staff and facilities for a capacity of up to 100 children.

Weekend Arabic and Islamic SchoolCurrently there are no weekend schools serving the west end community. Programs will be held on both Saturday and Sunday in order to optimize the number of students that can attend (approximately 500).

Qur’an Memorization School
This school will run as an after-school programthroughout the year. There are currently 100 students enrolled in this program.

Youth Centre
“The proposed building for purchase is already equipped with many excellent facilities, indoor as well as outdoor. Some of the space can easily be transformed into a small events banquet hall, as well as a recreational gym centre.” (Taken from MAC Mandate)

Day Camps and Summer School (summer camps)
The summer school/camp will run for six weeks. Winter and spring camps usually run for three days. It is expected that 100 children will participate in each of these camps.

Community Services & OtherThe centre also plans to organize various educational and social programs such as English as a Second Language (ESL) program, computer literacy courses and other services.

3) Full time Islamic School KG to Gr.9

The Centre will include a private K-9 school that would accommodate 150 students (or whatever the expected number of students).
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The MAC story continues to change. Their presentation to the Islamic community regarding the facility and number of students and worshippers is substantially different from what they presented to the Gariepy/Lessard (G-L) community and the city planning department. The first letter sent to the (G-L) community mentions only the school part of the project. The figures presented by MAC to the Islamic community in Edmonton have been deleted from the MAC website but the original data and some of the information of the old website is included in our site. Below are some examples._______________________________________________________

1 Response to “MAC Full Plan”

“The proposed building for purchase is already equipped with many excellent facilities, indoor as well as outdoor.”

What a deal for MAC!!! They bought a strip mall located on 3.2 acres with no playground or sport fields for students. However, they will use (at no cost!) another 8-10 acres of excellent outdoor facilities which our community has developed, maintained, and financed for many years.
What will happen during the summer when our Community League runs its own Summer Camps? Who is going to use our excellent playground facilities and equipment? If MAC uses it, will they pay for it?